The township's new Central Fire Station is fully functional. Firefighters and paramedics began working out of the new building at 5000 Okemos Road at 7 a.m. Thursday.
The new building was authorized through a $3.5 million millage passed in November 2012. Construction began in spring 2015, following a lengthy delay caused by legal action from neighboring condominium owners. The finished building's cost, including legal, design and engineering fees, came in at around $3.44 million. The new facility replaces a building at 2150 Clinton Street that closed in February 2013 due to extensive water damage and mold.
The three equipment bays house various fire vehicles and other equipment, including one very specialized money saver. An industrial-sized machine is for washing turnout gear, the personal protective equipment firefighters wear to fight fires.
Cowper said the new machine and a companion dryer should pay for themselves in a couple of years, since taking the gear to Detroit and back twice a year for cleaning cost around $3,000.
Other features of the new building include a spacious community room with a television, write-on whiteboards and a projector. Cowper said the room will serve many functions, including weekly meeting space for the Haslett-Okemos Rotary Club, which donated $10,000. Homeowner groups and other organizations will also be able to hold meetings there, and fire personnel will use it as a training room.
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